Thursday, February 13, 2014

What kind of shoes should a Beast wear?

If you want to run in this, you're going to need some shoes!

You’ve
saved money with your early registration for the Barber Beast on the Bay. You’re
signed up, you have your team, and you know when it is you’re going to start.
Great. Now how about preparing yourself for the Beast? Hopefully you have a plan
to start training. If you don’t, we’ll help you get going in the upcoming
weeks. But how about taking that money you saved registering early for the
Beast and putting it toward something useful? Like, say, a nice brand new pair of shoes to
run in come September 6. Here’s what we recommend in order to tackle the
different terrains that is part of the nature of the Beast. First, let’s tackle some basic strategies for
shoes.

Don’t duct tape your shoes. You’re not going to
lose them and they’re probably not going to fall off. I’m not going to steal
them, either. Duct tape adds weight and is only going to make your feet feel
heavier. They may also prevent water and other materials from draining from
your shoes, making your run uncomfortable. You don’t want to slosh around
Presque Isle, do you?

Don’t wear brand new shoes. If you’re going to
buy shoes, break them in before race day. Go down to Presque Isle and practice
running in the sand. Use them when you’re jogging outside, or just wear them
around the house for a while. No matter what you do, you just want to make sure
your shoes aren’t stiff and uncomfortable.

Big, cushiony shoes aren’t the answer, unless
the question is “What type of shoe shouldn’t I wear on race day?” No doubt they’re
comfortable to wear, but they’re going to suck up water and sand on race day,
turning your once comfortable shoes into what feels like carrying dumbbells on
your feet.

We swear these are actually shoes.

So now we know what not to do.
What kind of shoes do we want? We want minimalist shoes: Ones that are breathable,
tough, and feel like they’re hardly even there.

The first type of shoe we’ll look
at are the ones that barely look like shoes at all: Vibram
FiveFinger Spyridon. They’re those weird looking shoes that look like gloves
for your feet. But they allow your toes room to move while still providing
excellent grip. With these shoes, you would be looking at $60-$100 for a pair.

The New Balance MT 110.

Next, let’s take a look at the
New Balance MT110. They grip well, feel light, and allow moisture to come out
of the shoe. Those are the three main things we should be looking for in a pair
of shoes. These shoes will also provide protection from rocks and similar
objects, which could be beneficial in areas you may encounter on Presque Isle.
These will run you right around $100, but it should prove to be money well
spent.

Other types of shoes we’ve seen
recommended include the Vivobarefoot Breatho Trail, Inov-8 Trail Rock 245, and
the Altra Superior. There are some shoes made by more familiar brands like
Reebok, Under Armour, and Nike that could work for the Beast, too, but just
remember to look for these three things: grip, weight, and the ability to wick
away or remove water/objects.